Safety cigarette holder



Patented Jan. 13, 1953 OFFICE SAFETY CIGARETTE HOLDER Randlett F. Jones and Frank A. Hollins, Frederick Hall, Va.

Application July 29, 1949, Serial No. 107,538

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a cigarette holder, and more particularly to a novel cigarette holder which is expansible for supporting the various sizes of cigarettes and formed with an ejector for removing the burned portions when and as desired.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cigarette holder of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafter having provision for supporting a cigarette to provide for the free passage of air about the supported cigarette to support the normal and proper combustion thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cigarette holder having a tubular cigaretteenclosing member formed with cooperating openings at the opposite ends thereof providing free ventilation of air about the enclosed cigarette to diffuse or dissipate the heat from the burning cigarette.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a safety cigarette holder of this kind to provide for the safe smoking and carrying of lighted cigarettes and eliminating the usual fire hazards of smoking resulting in the burning of clothes and upholstery with hot ashes. The cigarette holder contains the ashes of the burned cigarette, thereby preventing the hot ashes from dropping on floors and rugs and the dropping of ysparks in congested public gatherings where smoking is permitted.

A further object of ythis invention is to provide a safety cigarette holder having a cigarette-enclosing and supporting tubular body to be grasped in the ngers of the smoker and eliminating the highly objectionable nicotine stains which accumulate on the fingers from holding the burning cigarette.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which may be readily formed of metal, plastic or other suitable materials at an economical cost for manufacture andV retail distribution.

With the above and other objects in view, our invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a cigarette holder constructed according to an embodiment of our invention, showing the holder in its retracted position;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section showing the holder in'its extended position; i

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the vent openings in the forwardmost cigarette-enclosing member and showing the hfinged closure member on the forward end there- 0 J Figure 4 is a front elevation of the cigarette holder;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the forward end of the cigarette holder, showing the vent openings and the closure member in its closed position;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, partly broken away, showing the engagement of the two telescopic cigarette-enclosing members.A

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates generally a novel safety cigarette holder constructed according to an embodiment of our invention. The cigarette holder I0 is formed of a pair of telescopic body or cigarette enclosing members I I and I2 which are adapted to enclose or encase a cigarette therein for smoking and carrying the cigarette. The cigarette enclosing members II and I2 are preferably formed of metal, plastic or other suitable material and are slidably engaged for retracting the entire assembly for carrying about in a pocket of the user and for extension to t the various sizes of cigarettes currently on the market. The cigarette holder I0 is also formed for use in smoking cigarettes where there is little or no accommodation for the burned ashes therefrom, and the cigarette holder will support the burning cigarette and the ashes until Isuch time as it may be advisable or necessary to discard the ashes and the burned cigarette.

The cigarette enclosing member II is formed. of a tubular, cylindrical body I4 which is open. at the opposite ends and is formed with a reduced diameter, threaded nipple section I5 at one end which provides adjacent the correspond` ing end of the member I I an internal annular shoulder IEB which constitutes a'stop for a Vpurpose to be later described. The other end of the body portion I4 of the cigarette enclosing member II is formed with an annular groove I6, the recess I6 opening inwardly. A resilient bead or Washer I1 is formed for engagement ln the annular recess I6 and eXten-sioninwardly of the body I4, as shown in Figure 7 of the drawings. The inwardly extending annular member I'I constitutes a stop element for the purposes .to be described hereinafter.

A mouthpiece I8 is removably engaged in one end of the body I4 by threaded engagement within the reduced-diameter, internally threaded sec- 3 tion I5 thereof. The mouthpiece I8 is formed with a tubular body section I9 open at the opposite ends having a reduced diameter, threaded end 2i! which is threadably engageable in the reduced diameter, threaded end of the body It, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The reduced diameter portion 2B of the mouthpiece I8 is formed with a tapered cutout portion or recess 2l which is disposed in the reduced end of the body I. A restricted end portion 2| of the mouthpiece I8 constitutes a substantial clamping member for engagement with one end of a ycigarette C contained within the cigarette holder I8. One end of the cigarette C is adapted to be pressed into the restricted portion 2l and will there be clamped within the cigarette holder IG, as shown in Figures l and 2 of the drawings.

The tubular portion I9 of the mouthpiece I3 is formed with an enlarged recess or main body portion 22 adjacent to the restricted recess 2I and in communication therewith. The juncture of the portion 2i with the recess 22 defines shoulder 2li at one end of the mouthpiece I8 and the reduced diameter opening 25 near the other end of the mouthpiece I8 denes a second shoulder 26 at the opposite end of the recess 22 from the shoulder 2li.

A bit member 21 is slidably engageable within the body I9 of the mouthpiece IS, and normally is spring pressed for extension through the opening 25 thereof. The bit member 21 is formed with a conventional external conguration adapted to be engaged between the teeth and lips of the smoker, and is formed with a longitudinally extending bore or passage 28 therein. 'f

A cigarette ejecting element 29 is threadably engaged on one end of the bit member 21 and extends within the body I2. The ejector element 29 is formed with a longitudinally extending bore 30 therethrough which opens at one end in communication with the smoke passage 28 and at the other end with the restricted recess 2i described above. A head SI is formed on said other end or the ejector element 29 and has an outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the restricted portion 2| of the body I9 and is slidabl-y engageable therein.

Said one end of the bit member 21 is formed with anl outwardly extending shoulder 32 which is adaptedto be engaged by the shoulder 2e of the body I9 in the normal position of the mouthpiece -bit portion 21. A spring SII is engaged about the main body port-ion of the ejector element 29 and bears at its forward end against the shoulder 24 of the body I9 and at its other end against the shoulder 32 of the bit member 2l. The spring 3d will normally press the bit member 21 to its extended position in the mouthpiece body I9.

The cigarette enclosing telescopic member` I2 is slidably engaged in the cigarette enclosing member II, as clearly shown in Figures l, 2 and 1 of the drawings. `The telescopic member I2 is formed with an outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside vdiameter of the telescopic member II., and a radially, outwardly extending rib 35 is fixed to or formed integrally with one end of the member I2 to be engaged within the cigarette enclosing member I I. The rib 35 denes a shoulder 36 on said one rend of the telescopic member I2 which is adapted to be engaged by the side of the stop element or resilient ring I1 to limit movement of the member I2 relative to the member Il in one direction, relative movement of these members being limited in the opposite direction by engagement of the end of member I2 carrying the rib 35 with the internal shoulder IEB in the member Ii. The cigarette enclosing member I2 will initially be slidably engaged within the cigarette enclosing member I I and then the resilient ring Il will be engaged within the recess cr groove I to provide an abutment member or stop element for limiting the sliding movement of the cigarette enclosing member I2.

A closure member 31 is hingedly mounted on the other end of the cigarette enclosing member I2 and includes an annular body portion 38 supporting a transverse screen 39 therein. A hinge d0 is fixed on one side of the body 38 and on said other end of the cigarette enclosing member I2, shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. The body or ring 33 is formed with a detent 4I opposite from the hinge-63 thereon and a resilient latch member 42 is carried by the other end of the cigarette enclosing member I2 opposite from the hinge mounted thereon. The resilient latch member d2 is formed of an elongated length of metal or other suitable resilient material Vwhich is engageable within the detent 4I for frictionally securing the closure member' 31 in its closed position and providing for the forcible pivoted movement of the closure member from the closed to the open position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3.

The cigarette enclosing telescopic member I2 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced apart lugs or supporting members ifi on the inner surface thereof which extend inwardly from the inside surface of the cigarette enclosing member I2. The inwardly extending lugs 4i constitute spacers or supporting members which are engageable along the length of the cigarette C enclosed within the holder IG for supporting the cigarette in spaced relation i, from the inside surface of the cigarette enclosing member. The lugs 46 engage the forward end of the cigarette C for supporting the forward end of the cigarette spaced inwardly from the supporting member I2, while the rear end of the cigarette is held in spaced relation from the inside walls or the other cigarette enclosing member II by the engagement of that end of the cigarette in the restricted cigarette engaging recess 2i described above.

A plurality of vent openings 4E are formed on one side of said other end of the cigarette enclosing member I2 adjacent the latch 42, as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. Vent openings `are formed in the other cigarette enclosing member I I, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The vent openings 45 and 4E of the Cigarette enclosing members II and I2 communicate between the outside atmosphere and the space between the outer surface of the cigarette C and the inner surface of the cigarette enclosing members II and I2 to provide for the free passage of air along the length of the cigarette holder about the body of the cigarette C contained therein. By providing for the free passage of air along the length of the cigarette C on the radially outer side thereof, the cigarette C is held from overheating the body of the cigarette holder kIG and the apertures in no manner impair the normal and conventional smoking of the cigarette.

In the use and operation of the cigarette holder It described above, from its compact and folded position, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the cigarette holder I0 may be removed from the pocket or other convenient carrying place and extended to its fully extended position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. In its extended position, the closure member 31 will be swung to its open position and a cigarette will be engaged through the open end of the cigarette enclosing member I2 and extended along the length thereof into the cigarette enclosing member II for engaging one end of the cigarette in the restricted recess 2l of the mouthpiece I8. The sliding disposition of the cigarette enclosing members II and I2 will then be adjusted to suitably conne the particular cigarette within the cigarette holder I and by moving the cigarette enclosing member I2 longitudinally for exposing the forward end of the cigarette beyond the closure member 31, the forward end of the cigarette being exposed for igniting in the conventional manner.

After the forward end of the cigarette C has been ignited, the cigarette enclosing member I2 is then moved to its fully extended position and the closure element 31 containing the screen 39 is then pivoted to its closed position in engagement with the resilient latch 42. From this position the cigarette enclosing member I2 may then be moved longitudinally relative to the member II, so that the extreme forward end of the cigarette C is within member I2 and spaced from the screen or foraminous portion 39 of the closure member 31.

The cigarette may then be smoked in a conventional manner and the ashes from the burning cigarette will be suitably contained within the holder I0 as the screen 39 may be of a suitable mesh to contain the ashes from inadvertently spilling out of the cigarette holder. The lugs 44,

together with the restricted recess 2I, support the cigarette spaced from the inside walls of the cigarette holder so that the burning cigarette will not unduly heat the telescopic portions of the cigarette holder. An annular ring or a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart, transparent elements 41 are carried by said other end of the cigarette enclosing member II so that the burning portion of the cigarette G may be viewed or exposed when the cigarette has been substantially burned to its smallest usable condition. As the cigarette C will normally be contained within the cigarette enclosing members II and I2, and as the enclosing members may not in all circumstances be transparent, the viewing windows 41 will provide for the suitable signaling to the smoker that the cigarette is substantially burned out and may at this time be discarded.

For ejecting the cigarette C' from the cigarette holder I0, the cigarette enclosing member I2 will be slid along the cigarette enclosing member II to its fully-telescoped or folded position, shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, and the bit member 21 of the mouthpiece I8 will be pressed forwardly within the body I9 thereof. The head 29 of the ejector element 21 will then bear against the end of the cigarette C pressing the cigarette out of the restricted portion 2| to fall freely within the cigarette enclosing members II and I2 to be later` discarded by swinging the closure member 31 to its fully-opened position.

We do not mean to conne ourselves to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claim.

We claim:

A cigarette holder comprising a first tubular body having at one end an internally screw threaded formation of reduced diameter having an internal annular shoulder adjacent said one end and having adjacent its other end an internal annular groove, a second tubular body slidably received at one end in said other end of said first body and having at said one end thereof an annular external flange, a ring of resilient material secured in the groove in said first body and slidably engaging said second body to provide a sliding frictional connection between said bodies, the flange on said second body cooperating with the internal annular groove in said first body and with said ring to limit longitudinal sliding movement between said bodies, a mouthpiece having at one end an externally screw threaded formation threaded into the internally screw threaded formation on said first body and having interially thereof a socket for receiving one end of a cigarette and holding the cigarette positioned within said rst and second bodies.

RANDLETT F. JONES. FRANK A. HOLLINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,001,725 Acutt Aug. 29, 1911 45 1,187,090 Pierson June 13, 1916 1,410,954 Pollack Mar. 28, 1922 1,441,045 Tredwell Jan. 2, 1923 1,492,169 Harvey Apr. 29, 1924 1,529,556 Sheppard Mar. 10, 1925 1,623,635 Potts Apr. 5, 1927 1,781,553 McClees Nov. 11, 1930 2,132,909 Thomas Oct. 11, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,543 Great Britain 1906 195,133 Switzerland Apr. 1, 1938 271,102 Italy Jan. 29, 1930 543,733 Great Britain Mar. 10, 1942 

